Chapter 4

When Richard came to, his hands were tied behind his back, and Chris was screaming.

"Seth, you idiot!"

Seth was at his side on the ground, completely bound up in rope. He was crying hard, with tears streaming down his face. Even his guitar was tied to him behind his back.

"You're fucking blaming me for this?" he screeched out. "That's why I told Richard to talk to the reporters! I know he sucks at magic!"

Richard shook his head, trying to come all the way back to reality. Suddenly he heard Eddie's voice next to him say "We shoulda kept an eye on him" and as his eyes de-blurred, he saw that he too was bound up in ropes. It didn't take long for Richard to realize they were arguing over and about him, but he had only one concern on his mind.

"The people…on the bus?" He muttered. He almost felt like he was still melded into the wall. His ropes had been tied so tightly he couldn't move.

"Their fine! No thanks to you, MORON!" Chris spat at him.

"No one got hurt," Eddie muttered, looking back at him. His body was highlighted by the glow coming from the bon fire in front of them.

"But a big chunk of the school got destroyed."

Richard twisted so he could look behind him. There were police and ambulances, and such a huge crowd of people over there.

There were other news reporters now and other vans. Richard coughed and fell backwards onto the grass. It was a huge uproar, it was hard to believe no one was hurt.

"The Rebels of Christ Church had their God on their side today," Eddie said with a sigh. He sounded strange and ominous, not the usual pure energy joker Richard was used to.

"Why are we tied up?" Richie screamed out, starting to panic, seeing Chris and Seth panicking. "Where's Professor Diaz?"

Rather than answer the last question, Eddie, while never changing the grave look on his face, twerked his chin up at what was being burned by the bon fire.

Richie followed Eddie's eyes and found Professor Diaz tied to a stake about to be roasted!

Seth let loose a loud sob. On the ground, Chris' face was red with shame, turning away from his professor, who was about to be executed by the Christians.

"They tied us up because they didn't want to try to save our teacher," Eddie explained.

"We failed," he muttered, and his face twisted in agony, and he joined Seth and Chris in sobbing.

Ordinarily, Chris would have corrected Eddie right away. No, THEY didn't fail. The illusion the 3 of them had performed had been spectacular. Richie failed. He did what he always did. He messed things up, and now they would have the memory of 2 dead masters to contend with.

"Don't cry children," Diaz shouted, forcing a smile on his face as a couple of the Christian men tried to make the fire grow bigger by throwing more flaming wood onto it.

Tears were still streaming down all four boys' eyes as they looked up to their professor, but they quieted their sobbing and whimpers to listen to him speak.

"As your teacher and Master, I have to give an analysis for your performance today," Professor Diaz began. His glasses had slipped into an awkward position on his face, but since his arms were tied behind his back, he couldn't use his hands to adjust them. So he wiggled his nose and tried to work the little gold-rimmed glasses back in place that way.

"Seth…" The glasses fall off of Diaz's face into the fire. Oh, to hell with it! "Seth, well done, the music and magic will be legendary! Your ability as a sound mage and charmer helped complete Chris' spell!" He let loose a yell as the fire started burning through his shoes.

"CHRIS," Diaz screamed out, his face red with pain and near panic. "Your ability to create the illusion was FANTASTIC! It's been a long time since I've seen an illusionist with such power, especially one so young!"

Seth wept as he looked up at Diaz, and Chris sobbed loudly and put his face on the grass as the tears overcame him.

"Eddie, that idea for the Christmas scene was brilliant! You truly are a genius! And also thank you for keeping the school bus from exploding and putting out the fires!!" Diaz screamed. "There would have been much more damage and possible loss of lives without you!"

"And Vegas…" Professor Diaz's face changes when he gets to the blonde. Richie looked up at him, crying but confused. Who was Vegas?

Diaz was looking right at him. As Richie struggled in his binds, Professor Diaz looked as if he was struggling to find something supportive to say to Rich, but he finally gives up that mission.

"FUCK YOU!" He yells at the little blond, and then he screams out in agony as the fire climbs up his feet and moves up his legs.

Professor Diaz's screams raise up to the heavens, as does the fire, until it completely engulfs him. And the news people broadcasted it in the news, and had interviews in front of the burning wizard. Even a few celebrities came by to chat with the burning and screaming master wizard in the background…